13 cows on the A13 Brenner Motorway: Bizarre animal incident causes closure near Innsbruck

Operation and closure

After around one hour, the closure could be lifted: the cows were rounded up and returned to the pasture. The motorway was subsequently freely passable again. The exact circumstances of how the animals were able to get onto the roadway are still being investigated, ASFiNAG further stated.

Animal-related incidents on motorways are not unusual in Tyrol, because pasture areas are sometimes directly adjacent to the route. In recent years, there have been repeated similar incidents involving cattle, sheep, and occasionally wild animals. In such cases, ASFiNAG points to its own emergency infrastructure and its cooperation with local authorities and farmers.

Impact on traffic

Road users were informed during the incident via traffic radio announcements and the digital display boards along the route. According to the company, only a short traffic jam formed in the Innsbruck area, which quickly dissipated once the closure was lifted. There were no major disruptions to international travel traffic toward Italy.

The incident raises questions locally about pasture security along the A13. ASFiNAG announced that, together with the affected farmers, it would examine how the fences along the pasture areas could be better secured in the future. The results of the review were not initially announced.

ASFiNAG's response

The A13 is of central importance for international north-south traffic via the Brenner Pass. Even minor disruptions can affect travel and freight transport between Austria and Italy. However, according to ASFiNAG's assessment, Friday's incident had no noticeable consequences for the wider regional traffic flow.

In total, the motorway operator took stock late in the morning: 13 escaped cows, one closure, no injuries. ASFiNAG spokesperson Patrick Bickel said the company was satisfied with the outcome of the operation. According to the company, the security measures under review are to be discussed with the landowners in the coming weeks.